Springtime
by Nanaki BH
Summary: Will/Grell - Grell just can't seem to find a way to tell Will how he feels


Disclaimer: _Kuroshitsuji_ and all related characters and materials are property of Yana Toboso.  
Notes: For "64. Jumbled truths." at 500themes on Livejournal. My first Will/Grell fic, so lemme know what you think.

Springtime  
By: Nanaki BH

He picks his words carefully around him, although William doesn't notice it. It would be hard to realize the effort he was putting into each thing he said when it always came out sounding wrong. With William as his superior, he didn't want to admit how hard it was to talk to him sometimes. The firm, unwavering way William would look at him always made him nervous and unsure of himself. Grell knew he was a little clumsy – he couldn't deny a simple fact like that about himself, but that part of him felt magnified in front of the other.

He'd mess up or forget to do something or sometimes just felt too lazy to get something done and then William would be fixing him with that look again. Grell always tried to explain, but he could never come up with a suitable explanation, fumbling over all his words until things would take that turn for the worse and he'd be biting his tongue with his sharp teeth all over again.

When it came to his feelings for William, it was too hard to speak. His tongue would become tied at the mere thought of saying his true thoughts to him, and that's why, the few times he'd tried to speak up, it came out sounding like a joke.

It was so easy, talking to the demon Sebastian. He didn't have to pick his words like he was trying to impress him. He didn't have to worry because he knew something like _that_ was impossible between the two of them. (N-not that Sebastian would ever feel that way for him anyway with that little brat always stealing his attention.) Oh, and of _course_ he was gorgeous, there was really nothing to deny there, but he knew that his affections would simply amount to nothing but unwanted attention.

On the bright side, it made him smile to realize how William was taking his persistent pursuit of the butler. The moment he realized how flustered he became whenever he flirted with the stoic demon, he realized that maybe there was still a chance for him. Which was what made him just want to flirt with Sebastian more – anything to make William realize how he really felt about him.

"Honestly," William would say, hiding the color in his cheeks by lifting his hand to push up his glasses, "I just don't see what you would want to do with that repulsive _thing_. You're going to do nothing but find yourself in even more trouble by follow him around like this."

"But _William~_" he'd say, "A creature of such rare beauty and finesse must come around only once every million years! Besides, you _know_ there's hardly anyone as fascinating among us Death Gods. I'd say there's no one else quite so deserving of my attention."

William would only huff around that point in each of their conversations on the matter (which, over the course of time, had become many) and seemed to surrender to his subordinate's unwavering insistence. Usually, he would shake his head and then sternly order Grell to make up for all the trouble he had put him through by having him perform more grunt work.

However, there had to be a breaking point eventually. As much as he enjoyed seeing William get worked up over the way he acted, none of it meant anything if it were all still just for show. William wasn't the type of guy to take a hint and Grell couldn't trust himself to finally be the one to say the words. His heart gave a real ache at the realization of that and he feared that soon, he'd have to give it up. At least then, Will wouldn't be bothered anymore by it.

A few weeks went by where the red Death God didn't make any move to chase the demon's tail. He worked silently on his jobs and accomplished a bit more than he usually would, even though his mind was in a totally different place while he did it. The everyday began to feel so tasteless without the enchanting distraction of Sebastian and he found himself actually missing the disapproving looks from his superior.

In fact, he had actually received some rare praise from him and that surprisingly left him feeling... disappointed.

It was about more than meeting his approval. Grell wanted more than that from him.

One evening found Grell sitting outside the agency's entrance, his hands hanging between his knees, fiddling idly with the corners of his coat. The sun was beginning to sink below the horizon, turning the clouds into bright pastel colors. He sighed, knowing that the dark of night was not so far off.

"You're still here," a familiar voice said, interrupting his melancholy thoughts.

Grell's head turned and he looked up at William. A second too late, he realized he'd forgotten to put on his usual smile and his expression faltered. He froze instantly, not sure what to do next. Smile? Let his disappointment show? That would have been even more of a bother, though, wouldn't it have?

He found himself caught somewhere in between with his lip caught and bleeding between his teeth. It was hard to say what William's expression was, but it wasn't his usual one and that worried Grell slightly.

"I had a feeling something was going on," he sighed, seeming like he was talking more to himself than anything else. He pushed his glasses up in that telltale way and they reflected the setting sun, obscuring his eyes and rendering them unreadable. "You haven't been acting like yourself at all lately and I was starting to get worried."

"Will was worried about me?" Grell asked. He fluttered his eyelashes and tried to show a smile that succeeded in being anything but genuine-looking. Something about William's admission had made him feel happy, but this... sounded like honest worry. "Looks like I messed up again~"

His words sunk at the end and he swallowed. William looked down at him, frown quite visible on his lips. Sighing loudly, William pressed his fist down on the top of Grell's head and gave a little twist.

"Nnnnn~! Stop – my hair! _Williaaaaam-_"

"Who knew I'd be telling you to act more like... yourself." Grell looked up again at that, but he kept his palm down on top of his head. "I can't get any work done when I see you moping around like this."

"I-I'm not sure if I should feel flattered by that statement, but I kind of do." Regardless, that didn't sound like William at all either. "William... You know I like you, right?"

William stopped to look at him seriously, his fingers still lightly threaded through the other's hair. He let there be a pause first. "Mh, I do."

Grell stopped to stare at him a little incredulously, a little pleased. "You... do." Well, that wasn't exactly what he'd expected to hear. He grabbed William's hand quickly from the top of his head and placed it between his own. "Does this mean that you...?"

The hand was snatched back and Will stepped away. "I'm going now. Glad to see you're back."

Grell made chase as William hurriedly tried to leave the building, unperturbed by the other people walking home who turned to stare at the two of them.

"Will, wait~! You have to tell me how you really feel...!"

Alas, nothing ever happened the way that Grell Sutcliffe would have preferred. He hadn't confessed underneath a blossoming cherry tree, nor had it happened in the most dignified of manners, but... Well, neither had it been much of a confession, to tell the truth. He felt a little lighter, though, knowing that William felt the same way for him.

Probably.


End file.
